Vaporizing apparatus for internal combustion engines



Jan. 18, 1938. J, STUMBO 2,105,677

VAPORIZING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awe/whom Jan. 18, 1938. J STUMBO 2,105,677

VAPORIZING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l1, IIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE VAPORIZING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application June 3, 1935, Serial No. 24,597

7 Claims.

" engines.

, Ijhave found that vaporizing devices employing heat for the purpose of transforming cheap oils into an explosive vapor have proven unsatisfactory for the reason that after a short interval, usually from four to six hours, they become clogged or caked with residue material prohibiting further use thereof until such material has been removed. This usually requires that such apparatus be taken apart for that purpose. Careful consideration of this fact, coupled with experiments in connection therewith, have proven that this caking or clogging which has resulted, aside from the use of wholly improper oils, has been caused by an improper control, and in all instances that have come under my observation, a total lack of control of the heat employed for heating such apparatus in order to transform the oil into a vapor. Furthermore I have discovered that this lack of control of the heat employed has resulted in an'incomplete vaporization of such oils With'theconsequent result that the unvaporized oils are carried into the engine where they dissolve the engine lubricants thus causing severe mechanical wear.

In the present invention I propose to provide an improvement in vaporizing devices of this characterwhereby the faults set forth are eliminated, thus putting to an end the waste accompanying such practice. This I accomplish in part through an improvement in vaporizing chambers, in part through improvements in the control of the oils as they pass through the vaporizer, and largely by providing an automatic control for controlling the application of heat whereby the apparatus is constantly maintained within a temperature range most adapted for satisfactory and successful operation.

Essentially my invention consists of a vaporizing unit employing the hot discharge gases of an internal combustion engine as a source for its heat. Preferably the apparatus is mounted to the exhaust manifold of such engine. This apparatus is a housing or block having one or more circuitous passageways or chambers for the passage of'the oil to be vaporized for the purpose of providing an explosive mixture. These passageways lead to a suitable distribution device, such as a carburetor, and from an oil source. The

carburetor preferably has a number of inlets together with means for controlling fluid flow therethrough. These correspond to the load and speed of the engine, such, for instance, one for low speeds and/or moderate loads, one for intermediate speeds and/or loads, and one for high speeds and/or the heaviest loads. Each passageway in the vaporizing apparatus leads or is conducted to a corresponding inlet to the carburetor. This ensures that the amount of oil passing through the apparatus for vaporization is properly controlled, thus to a large extent eliminating waste.

The passageways referred to, are preferably at an inclination in order that unvaporized oil will spread out thereon offering a greater surface area to the heat of the apparatus and further ensuring a complete vaporization of the oil.

As before stated the vaporizing apparatus is employed in connection with the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. However in connection with such employment it will be obvious that there is a constant change in temperature. There is a constant tendency for the apparatus to become overly hot with the consequent bad results as heretofore stated. This I overcome by providing automatic control means for controlling or regulating the amount of heat transferred to the apparatus. This is accomplished by providing, preferably, a shielding device between the apparatus and the exhaust gases. This device which may be termed a regulator, is movable to a position to shield the apparatus, to a position where the apparatus is unshielded, and to degrees between these two extremes.

In connection with the damper or regulator, I provide a thermostat control which controls the regulator or damper. The control is designed, through the operation of the regulator to maintain the apparatus at a desired range of temperature, constantly during the operation of the engine. By maintaining this constant range, caking or coking of the passageways in the apparatus is avoided. During the starting period while the apparatus is cold the thermostat control moves the regulator or shield to a non-shielding position whereby the exhaust gases from the engine may be unobstructedly employed for heating the apparatus, but as the apparatus reaches the required temperature range the shielding de vice is employed to prevent overheating.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be attained upon reading the description thereof following, aided by the several views thereof in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention, wherein it is shown mounted to an internal combustion engine exhaust pipe or manifold.

Figure 2 is a front sectional view of the thermostat control apparatus.

Figure 3 is a side sectional elevation indicated by section line 33 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is the rear elevation of parts as indicated by the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is the rear elevation of parts indicated by line 5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a front elevation and semi perspective of the front plate.

Figure 7 is perspective of the rear or vaporizing plate.

Figure 8 is the sectional view indicated by section line 8-8 in Figure 7.

In the drawings, l indicates the exhaust pipe or manifold of a gas engine and ,2 the inlet pipe or manifold of such engine, respectively supplied with passageways l and 2'. Mounted and connected to the inlet manifold by the Venturi member 3 is a carburetor 4. Carburetor 4 is preferably of the multi-inlet type which may be supplied with an inlet for high speed or heavy load operation, an inlet for intermediate speed, and inlets for starting and idling speed, with suitable means for opening and closing such inlets relative to one another.

As has been previously indicated the invention in this instance consists of a device for transforming low grade oils into a combustible or explosive vapor through the application of heat. In the present invention the exhaust gases from the combustion engine are employed to provide the heat necessary to vaporize such oils. For this purpose the manifold is provided with an enlarged and in this instance rectangular opening in the front face thereof which opening is generally indicated by the numeral 5. Over this opening is placed a rectangular member 6 though other than in the present instance this member need not always conform to a rectangular shape. Member 6 is provided with an opening I therethrough coinciding with the opening '5. As will be seen on referring to Figure 3 the opening 7 communicates with the interior l of the manifold l, in effect it is a continuation or extension of the latter. -:C1osing the opening I and to the front and placed and mounted over the member 6 is the vaporizing or gassifying plate 8 which is provided on its rear wall with a number of heat collecting ribs 9 which project into chamber 1, their purpose being to provide an additional heat collecting surface for the member 8. The upper edge of the member 8 is supplied with a connection neck is the purpose of which will be readily apparent.

In the outer face of plate 8, see Figure l, are two circuitous passageways or grooves II and I2 respectively terminating at their upper ends in passageways ii and i2 through the neck [0.

I It is to be understood that the number of grooves a front elevation and semithus making a continuous and circuitous passageway from the bowl through the neck lil. Extending from the bottom to top of member I3 is a passageway l6 which at its upper end continuous through neck It] and at its lower end extends to bowl in two branches.

Connecting between the neck I0 and the carburetor 4 is an extension member I! which is provided with passageways therein corresponding to the passageways in the neck, which passageways communicate with suitable inlets to the carburetor.

As before stated the carburetor is provided with a number of inlets valved for metering the fuel. In the present instance the fuel passes from the bowl IE to the passageways II and I2, and the passageway l6 thence to the carburetor. It is to be understood that these passageways connect with separate inlets to the carburetor, and that such inlets are properly valved, and further that the carburetor in this instance is a standard manufacture having the required inlets and operating means. Under moderate speed or load conditions the fuel passes through the passageways 2 to the carburetor, while under heavier load conditions the fuel passes through the passageway ll, while during the starting period the fuel may be passed through passageway I6, a more volatile and explosive fuel being employed at the start.

It is to be understood that the fuel passing through the passageways l I and I2 is transformed into a vaporous state by reason of the fact that the wall of such passageway is substantially defined by the member 8, which member'is heated by the exhaust gases of the manifold coming into contact with its rear wall. The passageways l I and it, as will be noted, have inclined sections and reversely curved sections, with certain of the reversely curved sections forming the base of certain inclined sections. Portions of oil passing through the passageways may be slow in vaporizing, in which event it flows down the inclined portions to the reversely curved portions at the base, which form pockets, and the oil is retained in these pockets until the vaporization is completed. However I have found that unless this heat is properly controlled there will be a tendency to form a carbon or coke in the passageways through overheating of the member 8. I have found that extremes of heat contribute largely if not entirely to the formation of such carbon or coke, thus obstructing the passage of fuel through the passageways, and in other ways interfering with an efiicient operation of a vaporizing unit of this type.

My invention is particularly directed to controlling the application of heat to the vaporizing unit to the end that it may not become overheated, and to the end that substantially if not all of the fluid shall be transformed into an explosive vapor. In this connection there is provided the shielding device or movable wall indicated by the numeral l8 which is preferably a blade occupying the opening I in the member 6. This member is pivotally mounted by means of a rod l9 extending from end to end of member 6 at the top of the chamber or aperture 1. This rod is rockably mounted in order that the blade I8 may be tipped or rocked away from the member 8 in order that the explosive discharges in the manifold may come into contact with such member 6, or it may be rocked to a position covering or shielding such member, though spaced somewhat therefrom. This operation will be fully understood upon examination of the full and dash line views in Figure 3. When the member I8 is in position to shield member 6 it will be readily appreciated that it prevents hot discharges from the engine reaching such member, and as a consequence such member does not become nearly so heated as when the shield is in an upraised or unshielding position. Consequently by adjusting the member IS the amount of heat desired for member 6 can be regulated.

It will be readily appreciated from the foregoing that the member 6 may be maintained at a relative constant degree of temperature if a control device for regulating member I8 is provided, provided such regulating means operates upon a thermostat control principle. In the present invention I have provided a thermostat control or regulating device for regulating the member iii. For this purpose the member 13 is provided with a horizontally elongated boss 20 which has a central bore 2|, boss and bore are to provide a housing. Mounted within the boss is a thermal spring 22 which has its one end 23 held stationary to the mount 24 threaded into bore 2|, and its other end 25 secured to the rod 26 which rod is free to rotate Within the mount 24. To the outer end of the rod is afiixed a lever 21,

' which lever is connected by link 28 to lever 29 mounted upon the rod IS. The action of the spring 22 is well understood, it turning the rod in one direction as it becomes heated and in the opposite direction as it becomes cool, thereby opening and closing the shield l8 to provide proper temperature conditions for member 8. The spring 22 may be adjusted as to periods of operation by turning the mount 24.

The foregoing construction provides a certain means for definitely controlling the temperature of member 6, and consequently the operation of the device. This apparatus ensures against the overheating of the member 6 thus avoiding the bad effects from overheating complained of, at the same time it allows the hot discharges to come into contact with the member 6 when they are most needed, at the same time preventing overheating.

In operation the control of the heating or va porizing chamber has tended to eliminate losses from incomplete vaporization of the fuel, thus preventing such fuel being conducted in a liquid state to the engine where it is liable to dissolve the engine lubricants. Furthermore it has been found in actual operating tests that there is a minimum of caking or coking in the passageways of the vaporizer and this I attribute to the heat control, my contention being that a steady temperature range ensures a maximum of vaporizing of the fuel.

While I have shown a specific mounting of the invention with relation to a gas engine, it is to be understood that this may be altered in order to conform to Various other applications for the invention without departing from the spirit of such invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:-

1. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating gas engines, the combination with an exhaust pipe or manifold of a gas engine having an opening therein, of a member seated over said opening and forming a section of the wall of said manifold, said member having internal circuitous passageways therein for the flow of oil tobe vaporized, a shielding member adjustable to shielding positions and non-shielding positions between the first member and the interior of the manifold, and thermostat means controlling the position of the shielding member.

2. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating gas engines, the combination with an exhaust pipe or manifold of a gas engine having an opening therein of a member seated over said opening, said member having internal passageways therein for the flow of oil to be vaporized through the action of heat occasioned by exhaust gases in said manifold, a blade rockably mounted to the member between it and the exhaust gases and. adapted to cover and uncover the member to the gases, and means controlling the position of the shielding member.

3. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating a gas engine, a vaporizing member mounted exteriorly to the exhaust manifold of such engine and having its inner wall forming a section of the wall of the manifold, and a pivotally mounted Wall spaced inwardly in the manifold relative to the first wall, movable to positions paralleling the first Wall or at an angle thereto.

4. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating a gas engine, a vaporizing member mounted exteriorly to the exhaust manifold of such engine and having its inner wall forming a section of the wall of the manifold, a second wall spaced inwardly in the manifold from the first Wall, a pivotal mounting supporting the second wall, and means external to the manifold for operating the pivotal mounting for the purpose of altering the position of the second wall relative to the first wall.

5. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating a gas engine, a vaporizing member mounted exteriorly to the exhaust manifold of such engine and having its inner wall forming a section of the wall of the manifold, a second wall spaced inwardly in the manifold from the first wall, a pivotal member supporting the second wall, and a thermostat control mechanism. operating the pivotal member for the purpose of altering the position of the second Wall relative to the first wall.

6. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating a gas engine, a vaporizing member mounted to the exhaust manifold of such engine the inner wall of which forms a section of the wall of the manifold, said member having internal passages constituting vaporizing chambers with inlets thereq to at the bottom of the member and outlets at the top, and certain of said passages being circuitously arranged within the member embodying straight sections and reverse curved sections with the straight sections at an inclination and the alternate reverse curved sections forming pockets at the base of certain straight sections.

7. In a device for transforming oil into an explosive vapor or gas for operating a gas engine, a vaporizing member mounted to the exhaust manifold of such engine the inner wall of which forms a section of the wall of the manifold, said member having internal passages constituting vaporizing chambers including inlet and outlets therefor, and certain passages having a circuitous arrangement with inclined sections and reverse curved sections and certain reverse curved sections forming pockets at the base of certain inclined sections.

RAY J. STUMBO. 

